Deadlines for Riverina flood payments approaching

Centrelink says it has handed out around $30 million in disaster recovery payments to Riverina residents since the March floods.

Tomorrow is the final day people in the Griffith, Leeton, Lockhart, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera, Urana, Wagga and Young local government areas can access the payments.

Centrelink spokesman Bevan Hannon says a set of criteria must be met, in order to claim the payments

But Mr Hannon says once that has been checked, the money can be paid out almost immediately.

"Since the disaster recovery payments were announced back in march there's been around 26, 000 claims made for the floods that occurred in southern New South Wales," he said.

"That's about $30 million worth of support.

"And to put that in a national context, all of the floods events that happened this year, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, there were 58, 000 claims and $66 million.

Mr Hannon says applications can be lodged over the phone, or at Centrelink offices.

"It's $1000 for adults, $400 for children in declared areas," he said.

"Some of the key reasons why people are eligible, if their home was destroyed or severely damaged, they were seriously injured due to the floods, they were stranded from their home or unable to access their homes for 24 hours or they may have experienced a utility failure, like no electricity or water for at least 48 hours."

Meanwhile, farmers and business owners affected by the March floods are running out of time lodge applications for help through the state's Rural Assistance Authority (RAA).

Grants of up to $15, 000 are available to businesses which suffered damage as a result of excessive rainfall and flooding.

The assistance package applies to the Coolamon, Griffith, Gundagai, Leeton, Lockhart, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera, Tumbarumba, Tumut, Urana, Wagga and Young local government areas.